Ontario Tech students honing storytelling skills with university’s new Creators4Change podcasting studio
Creators4Change Studio and parallel incubator program will push student innovation and creativity to new heights
March 11, 2024
Ontario Tech students looking to bring their ideas and stories to life with the highest quality have an amazing new high-tech tool available to help them maximize their creativity.
Located in Charles Hall at the university’s downtown Oshawa location, the new Creators4Change Studio digital storytelling hub supports podcasters, streamers and online creators whose mission is to make the world a better place.
"The Creators4Change Studio is more than just a physical space; it's a place where innovation, conscious creation, and diverse perspectives converge," says Dr. Emilia King, Assistant Professor in the Communication and Digital Media Studies (CDMS) program and award-winning media producer . "Students and educators can come together to cultivate creative projects that will make their slice of the world that much better by challenging the status quo."
Creators4Change studio is a collaborative effort between Ontario Tech’s Faculty of Social Science and Humanities and the Mitch and Leslie Frazer Faculty of Education.
Equipped with industry standard audio recording equipment, an HD-streaming webcam, professional lighting equipment, AI-powered remote recording and editing software, a substantive rights-cleared music library, and access to graphic design software, the Creators4Change Studio offers opportunities for collaboration, skills building, and mentorship.
"We are actively building strategic collaborations with external and internal partners, including the Region of Durham, Ontario-based arts and media organizations, and other local Durham-based mission driven organizations, to advance our mission and reach," adds Dr. King.
One of its first strategic launches is the Creators4Change Podcast Incubator hosted in collaboration with Brilliant Catalyst, Ontario Tech’s startup incubator. “It’s a natural campus partnership that offers students the best opportunity to share their stories with a modern context,” says Dr. King, who serves as studio Director.
A unique eight-week program, the studio’s podcast incubator empowers students, faculty, and staff to apply podcasting as a medium for impactful communication and innovation.
Through the business experts at Brilliant Catalyst, the incubator provides entrepreneurial education and concepts tailored for creators. It guides participants in developing their podcast concept, mastering storytelling techniques, and understanding the business aspects of podcasting, including audience segmentation, competitive analysis and discoverability.
“We're dedicated to nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit in every creator,” says Brilliant Catalyst Director Dr. Osman Hamid. “The Creators4Change Studio and Podcast Incubator embody our belief in the power of innovative storytelling to drive social change. We're not just teaching students how to create podcasts; we're empowering them to use their voices to make a difference in the world. This initiative highlights the intersection of entrepreneurship, education, and social impact, reflecting our commitment to developing forward-thinking leaders ready to tackle tomorrow's challenges."
"The Creators4Change Podcast Incubator is a testament to Ontario Tech's commitment to innovation and social responsibility," says Dr. King. "We want to inspire change and give voice to diverse perspectives and ideas through podcasting."
The incubator program will culminate the first week of July with a Festival Day, an exciting event where participants will present their pilot episodes, receive feedback, and engage with a community of fellow podcast enthusiasts and industry professionals.
"I believe that podcasting offers a unique opportunity for creators to make a strong impact with a lower barrier-to-entry than other mediums," says Dr. King.
Applications for the incubator can be accessed online using the Creators4Change X Brilliant Catalyst Podcast Incubator web form. The application window is open from Tuesday, March 12 to Tuesday, April 30.
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